FORMER People’s National Movement (PNM) government minister Karen Nunez-Tesheira says her decision to challenge the Prime Minister, her former Cabinet colleague and friend, for leadership of the party was not an easy one. But she believes she has no other choice because of the challenges facing the people of TT today.
Newsday spoke with her on Sunday after she was interviewed on WYZE 95.9 FM on Saturday evening. She told the host she was challenging Dr Rowley for the post of political leader in the party’s internal election on December 4.
Nunez-Tesheira told Newsday she is eligible to be a candidate in the election as she is a lifetime member of the party.
On why she chose to do so, Nunez-Tesheira said this was not too different from what happened in 1997 when Rowley challenged then PNM political leader Patrick Manning (now deceased) for the party's leadership.
Rowley's challenge to Manning happened after the PNM lost the 1995 general election. Manning retained his post in the 1997 internal election.
Nunez-Tesheira also recalled that Rowley challenged Manning's leadership as prime minister after he was fired from the Cabinet in 2008 after raising questions about corruption at the Urban Development Corporation of TT (Udecott).
In both cases, Nunez-Tesheira said, "I can't recall anyone challenging his commitment to the party."
Anyone challenging for the PNM's leadership is not someone who is opposed to PNM.
Nunez-Tesheira is not forming a slate to rival any by Rowley. For her, the only key post in the election is the political leader's post.
Based on her own observations over time, Nunez-Tesheira said believes the PNM's leadership is heading in the wrong direction.
“If we continue along this path that we are going, I don't know where TT will be."
Nunez-Tesheira recalls Rowley was one of the first people to welcome her into the PNM's ranks in 2007, and gave her considerable support when she was a political neophyte.
She considers him to be her friend.
But as a leader, Nunez-Tesheira said Rowley has been a disappointment.
"If I was a Cabinet minister, I would be shivering in my boots because he is intimidating."
She also believes Rowley has a level of irritation and contempt for certain things.
"I think he believes because he made it as poor black young man from a single-parent (home), I think he seems to be intolerant of those who have not done it."
Nunez-Tesheira said times have changed from then to now.
"He cannot look at the circumstances we see in the urban communities where there is a recruitment drive among the vulnerable young men and women who see no way out of their poverty, except to be accomplices in what is an underground economy."
She said leaders need to be more empathetic and focus-driven "on creating opportunities for people to come out of poverty."
Asked about the level of support she could expect from PNM members, Nunez-Tesheira believes there are many who silently agree with her – that it is necessary to change the party's leadership.
"I guess it would be
